Folding partition



Sept. 8, 1931. w. E. DUNCANSON FOLDING PARTITION Filed Feb. 26, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTOR 5.

Sept. 8, 1931. w. E. DUNCANSQN FOLDING PARTITION Filed Feb. 26,, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2' Sept. 8, 1931. w. E. DUNCANSON 1,322,768

' FOLDING PARTITION Filed Feb. 26, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 mm 31 1 5 J z Z Z w E E w g Sa gs, 1931. w. E. DUWNSQN 1,822,768

FOLDING PARTITION Filed Feb. 26, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN w I 5 l INVENTOR I I 2 g g WALE/Pi ou/vm/vso/v A'ITOR EYS Sept. 8, 1931. w. E. DUNCANSON 1,822,768

FOLDING PARTITION Filed Feb. 26, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Y INVENTOR Mu rm Du/vm/mo/v M ATTORNEY;

Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATE PATENT c erics WALTER E. DUNCANSQN, OF YORK, N. Y.., ASSIGN-OR TO THE J. G. WILSON GOR- .PORATI'ON, OF NEW YGRK, N. Y A CORPORATION 6F VIRGINIA FOLDING rnnmrrron Application filed February 26, I930. "Serial No. 431,424.

This invention relates to folding partitions.

In certain folding partition constructions the doors of the partition are mounted for sliding movement along a suitable track and for swinging movement into folded positions with relation to the track, and a pocket or cabinet has been provided into which the doors of the partition are folded. A door is usually provided for the pocket which door is closed when the partition is folded within the pocket to shut off the partition sections from View and also when the partition is extended to give a neat and attractive appearai-ice to the room in which the partition is installed. f

The principal objects of the presentinvention are to improve the construction and mode of operation of folding partitions and to provide an improved construction in which the doors of the partition are concealed within an enclosing pocket or cabinet when folded andare adapted to be moved to extended position outside the pocket and =1. are tightly held in this position wlrenin operation.

With, the above objects in View, certain features of the invention relate to an improved construction of the character above described which enables the pocket door to be moved from closed to open position and from open to closed position while the partition is located outside of the pocket.

Certain other features of the invention rclate to an improved construction which en; ables the partition to be placed in its fully extended position while the pocket door is closed and the pocket door thense'ryes as anabustinent for securelyholding the doors of the partition tight in extended formation.

The invention also embodies certain other novel and improved features hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims. V

The invention will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawings ill-us. trating the invention in its preferred form and the following detailed description of the constructions therein shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a View in front elevation illus trating a folding partition construction enobodying the invention;

Fig. '2 is a View in horizontal section "taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1;;

Fig. 3 is a View in horizontal section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. .1;

Fig. 4 isa View in horizontalsection taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a View in vertical section taken substantially in a plane central to the upper guideway andlooliing in the direction of the arrows 5-5, Fig. 4:;

Fig. :6 is a detail View in horizontal section taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detail View in horizontal section taken substantially on the line '77 of Fig. 5-;

Fig. 8 is a detail View in vertical section taken substantially in a plane central to one of the doors and looking in the direction of the arrow 8, Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detail View in horizontal section taken substantially on the same plane as Fig. 4 and showing the construction on an enlarg d scale;

Fig. 1-0 is a detail View in vertical section taken substantially on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a detail View in horizontal sec tion taken on substantially the same horizon tal plane as Fig. 3;

Fig. 12 is an underside plan View of a block mounted alongside one of the partition guide- WW Y 7 Fig. 11% is a detail View in side elevation partly in section illustrating oertain 'oftheparts shown in Fig. 10; I

Fig. 14 is a section taken on substantially the same plane as Fig- Q and showing the parts on a. larger scale; and

Fig. 15 is a detail. View in side elevation illustrating particularly the spring ainb and certain associated parts when the partition is fully closed. '1

The invention, as shown in the present application, is applied to a folding partito'n plieat'ion, is applied to a folding partition sect-ions A, B andO. Each of these sections comprises two units or doors 2 .ynd 4 hinged together by means of hinges G to swing reltrack or guide member 16 below each of the rollers 12 is provided with ribs 19 and 20 extending inwardly toward the axis of the stud 14 to form a contracted portion of the guideway below the rollers. Said member 16 is provided with laterally extending flanges 21 at the base thereof by which it is secured to the frame 18.

The doors are guided at their lower margins by means of casters 22 running upon a suitable track 24. The casters 22 are each journaled upon a bracket or hanger 26 secured to the lower end of a caster bolt 28 mounted for rotative movement in a frame 30 secured within the lower margin of a door. The bracket 26 carries a guiding projection or plate 32 which engages in a groove in the w track 24 and guides each door longitudinally of the track and also prevents the caster bolt from rotating during the pivotal movements of the door.

The doors of the sections of the partition iiare arranged to be folded into a compartment .or pocket 34 located at one end of the track,

the track extending into the pocket, as clearly shown inFig. 3. The doors are also arranged,

when extended, to be located entirely outside of the pocket. The pocket is closed by means of a door 38 hinged at 40 to the wall of the pocket remote from the partition.

With the sections of the partition in ex tended positions across the doorway and with the door 38 of the cabinet open, in folding the sections into the pocket, each section is moved to the left along the guideways to its limiting position and is then folded into substantially the dotted line position shown in Figs. 2, 3' and 5. In moving the several sections to extended positions across the doorway the sections are unfolded in succession and then, in extended position, are slid along the guideways to their limiting positions at the right, Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5.

The doors of the section A are prevented from being moved relatively into foldedpositions within the pocket except when the section is slid along the guideways to its limiting left hand position, Figs. 2 and 3, by means of a projection 41 mounted on the door 2 of said section and projecting upwardly therefrom between the ribs 19 and 20 of the upper guideway. When the section A reaches its limiting left hand position the projection 41 is in position to pass laterally through a transverse slot 42 formed in the frame 18 and in the guide member 16 to permit the folding of this section. The doors of the section B are prevented from being moved relatively into folded positions except when the section is slid along the guideways to its limiting left hand position, Figs. 2 and 3, by means of a projection 43 mounted on the door 2 of said section and projecting upwardly therefrom between the ribs 19 and 20 of the guide member 16. When the section B reaches its limiting left hand position the projection 43 is in position to pass laterally through' a transverse slot 44 formed in the frame 18 and in the guide member 16 to permit the folding of the sections. The section C is provided with a pin or projection 46 mounted on the door 2 and extending upwardly therefrom between the ribs 19 and 20 of the guide member 16 to prevent the folding of the section C until this section reaches its limiting left hand position along the guideways. When the section C is slid along the guideways to its limiting left hand position the projection 46 is located in position to pass laterally through the slot 44 to permit the folding of the section.

The doors 2 of each section are held from movement along the guideways as each section is folded from extended position to the dotted line position within the pocket shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. The door 2 of the section A is held from movement toward the end of the guideway by the engagement of the stud 14 carried by the door with a plate 48 (see Fig. 11) fixedly mounted within the U- shaped guide member 16 at the end of the guideway and located above the ribs 19 and 20. The door 4'of the section A is held in spaced relation to the door 2 when the section is folded by means of a plate 50 mounted in the guideway in the U-shaped guide member 16 to slide horizontally thereof and having an opening through which the stud 14 carried by said door 4 passes. This plate is arranged to engage the stud 14 carried by the door 2, as shown in Fig. 11. The door 2 of the section B is held from movement toward the adjacent end of the guideway during the folding of said section by the engagement of the stud 14 carried by said door 2 with the plate 50, as shown in Fig. 11. This plate also maintains the door 2 of the section B and the door 4 of the section A in spaced relation when the sections are folded. The door. 4 of the section B is held in spaced relation to the door 2 of said section when the section is folded by means of a plate 52 mounted to slide in the guideway in substantially the same manner as plate 50 and having an opening through which the stud 14 carried by the door 4 of said section passes. This plate isarranged to engage the stud 14 carried by the door 2.- The door 2 of the l Ill 1 guideway.

section C is held from movement toward the.

adjacent end of the guideway during the folding of the section by the engagement of the stud 14 carried by said door 2 with one end of the plate 52, as shown in Fig. 11, this plate holding the door 4 of section B and the door 2 of section C in spaced relation when the sections are folded. The door 4 of the section C is held in spaced relation to the door 2 of said section when the section is folded by means of a plate 54 also mounted within the guideway in said member 16 and having an opening through which the stud 14 carried by the door 4 of said section passes. This plate is arranged to engage the stud 14 carried by the door 2 of said section.

The doors 2 of each of the sections A, B and C are locked from movement in a direction away from the adjacent end of the guideway during the folding and unfolding of the sections. To this end each of the sections is provided with a locking mechanism comprising a locking dog 56 secured to the stud 14 mounted on the door 2 of each section. This lockin do is located below the ribs 19 and or the U-shaped guide member 16, and isarranged to engage the teeth of a rack bar 58 secured to the frame 18 below said guide member on one side of the The dog and the teeth of therack bar are so formed that when the dog is engaged with said teeth the margin of the door 2 of each section upon which the dog is mounted will be locked from movement away from the adjacent end of the guide way, but will permit said margin of said door to be moved toward said end of the guideway. Each of the studs 14. which carries a dog 56 is rotatably mounted in a bracket 60 3 secured to the top of the corresponding door 2 and the stud, and is acted upon by a coiled spring (not shown) which tends to turn the stud in a direction to carry the dog into engagement with the teeth of the rack bar 58. Each of these coiled springs is mounted and is connected with the corresponding stud in substantially the same manner that the spring 92 is mounted and connected with one of said studs except that the former spring at is arranged to turn the stud and the dog 56 carried thereby in the reverse direction. Each dog is held out of engagement with the teeth of the rack bar while the corresponding partition section is in extended position.

i by means of a pin 64 mounted on the bracket 60 and arranged to engage the dog.

As each section is folded the movement of the pin 64 with the door 2 about the axis of swinging movement of said door allows the dog 56 mounted on the door to be swung by the action of its actuating spring into engagement with the teeth of the rack bar 58 before the projection at the upper margin of the door 2 of the section has passed transversely through the transverse slot leading from the guideway. Thus, when this projection reaches the outside of the guideway the door 2 of the section is lockedv from movement away from the adj acent end of the guideway. During the continued swinging movement of the door 2 the said actuating spring yields, and the dog is held firmly in engagement with the rack bar by the spring. As each section is unfolded the door 2 is held from movement away from the adjacent end of the guideway by the engagement of the dog 56 with the teeth of the rack bar until the last part .of the unfolding movement. After the projection at the top of the door 2 of each section passes into the transverse slot leading to the guideway the pin 64 engages the locking dog 56 and carries the same out of en gagement with the teeth of the rack bar.

The respective doors 2 of each section are provided at their lower margins with devices for locking the same the guideway. during the folding and unfolding movement of the sections. These devices are similar in mode of operation to the devices for locking the upper margins of the doors. In the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the locking devices for the lower margins of the doors 2 comprise locking dogs 66 and 68 mounted upon a common carrier 7 0 pivoted on the caster bolt 28. These locking dogs are arranged to engage respectively stop blocks 72 and 7 4 mounted on opposite sides. of the guideway 24. The engagement of the dog 66 with the stop block 72 will prevent movement of the door 2 along the guideway in a direction toward the adjacent end of the track or toward the left, Fig. 7, and the engagement of the dog 68 with the stop block 7 4 will prevent movement of the door 1 along the track away from the adjacent end of the track or toward the right, Fig. 7. When a partition section is aligned with the track the locking dogs 66 and 68 are located out of position to engage the stop blocks, as shown in the case of the door 2 of the section C in Fig. 7. As a section is folded the pivotal movement of the dog 66 and 68 with the door 1 about the axis of the door will carry said dogs into position to engage the stop blocks 72 and 74, as shown in the case of the doors 2 of the sections A and 13 shown in Fig. 7. i

The door 38 when closed is arranged to extend transversely across the plane of the partition doorway behind the section A of the partition so as to form an abutment for said section. As shown in Fig. 2, thedoor 38 is arranged to engage within a frame member 76 and to contact with a stop 7 8 which limits the closing movement of the door.

In order to hold the sections of the partifrom movement along tion tight when in extended positions, the

shown in Figs.2 and 3, and arranged to be engaged by the door 4 of the section C. The spring jamb comprises a plate 82 mounted between the spaced lateral guide members 83 forming parts of the door frame. The plate 82 is provided with a roller 84 mounted upon a bracket secured to the lower end of the jamb plate and arranged to engage a horizontal guide surface at the lower end of the side member of the door frame. The j amb plate 82 is yieldingly forced toward the left, Figs. 2, 3 and 5, by means of leaf springs 85 attached thereto and arranged to engage contact plates 86 secured to an upright plate 87 forming a portion of the door frame. The movement of the jamb plate 82 toward the left under the influence of the springs 85 is limited by the engagement of said plate with abutment strips 88 secured to the spaced side members 83. The abutment strips 88 are separated by a distance slightly greater than the width of the door 4 of the section C, and the jamb plate 82 is provided with a relatively narrow portion engaging between the abutment strips, as shown in Fig. 3.

Assuming that the partition is folded within the pocket 34 and the pocket door 38 is closed, in placing the partition in closed position across the partition doorway, the following procedure is followed: The pocket door 38 is opened and the sections C, B and A are unfolded in succession and slid along the guiding tracks to close the partition doorway. The sliding movement of the partition sections to the right, Figs. 2 and 3, is limited by the engagement of the door 4 of the section G with the yielding jamb 82. With the several partition sections in the positions determined by the position of the yielding jamb, the door 2 of the section A will obstruct the closing of the door 38. To enable the door 38 to be closed the section A is arranged to be partially folded into the position shown in Fig. 3. The door 38 is then closed and the section A is unfolded. During the unfolding movement of the section, the door 2 engages the pocket door 38 before the section is aligned with the guiding tracks, as shown in Fig. 2. After the door 2 engages the pocket door 38 the continued unfolding of the section to align the same with the tracks will force the spring jamb to the right, Fig. 2. Thus, when the section A is completely aligned with the track, the partition will be held tightly between the spring jamb and the pocket door 38. When the partition is to be foided into the pocket 34, the section A is partially folded in the position shown in Fig. 3 before the pocket door is opened. The pocket door is then opened and the section A is restored to alignment with the guiding tracks, is then slid to its left hand position along the tracks, and is folded into the pocket. The sections B and C' are then folded in succession into the pocket after which the pocket door 38 is closed.

Then the section A is in closed position in alignment with the guideways, as shown in Fig. 2, the projection 41 is in position to pass laterally through the transverse slot 44 leading from the upper guideway, as the section A is folded from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. During the foiding movement of the section A from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3, the door 4 of said section is held from movement along the guideways. The said door at its upper margin is held" from movement to the right, Figs. 2 and 3, during the folding of the section by the engagement of the plate '50 with the stud 14 of the door 2 of the section B. In order to lock the door 4 from movement along the guide-ways to the left, Figs. 2 and 3, during its folding movement, said door is provided with a locking dog 89 (see Figs. 10 and 13) secured to the stud 14 mounted in the upper portion of said door. The dog 89 is arranged to engage the teeth of a rack bar 90 secured to the frame 18 below the ribs 19 and 20 on the guide member 16. The stud 14 is mounted to ro-' tate within a bracket 91 secured to the upper margin of the door 4, and said stud is acted upon by a coiled spring 92 which tends yieldingly to'turn the dog 89 in a direction to carry the same into engagement with the teeth of the rack bar 90. When the section A is in extended position, the dog 89 is held out of engagement with the teeth of the rack bar 90 by means of a pin 93 mounted upon the bracket 91 and arranged to engage the dog. As the door 4, during the folding of the section, is swung from a position aligned with the guideways to the position shown in Fig. 3, the movement of the pin 88 about the axis of pivotal movement of said door allows the dog to engage the teeth of the rack bar before the projection 41 passes completely through the slot 44. During the continued folding movement of the section, the door 4 is locked from movement toward the left, Fi 3, by the engagement of the dog 89 with t e rack bar 90. As the section is unfolded, the dog 89 continues to engage the rack bar 90 to hold the door 4 from movement toward the left along the guideways until the projection 41 enters the slot 44. During the final unfolding movement of the section the pin 93 engages the dog 89 and disengages the dog from the rack bar.

It is undesirable to permit the section A of the partition to be completely folded to bring the doors 2 and 4 thereof into adjacent substantially parallel relations. lVith the doors in these relative positions the movement of the lower portion of the section along the guideway independently of the upper portion thereof is liable to throw the track-engaging devices at the lower portion of the sections out of engagement with the lower track. To avoid this disadvantage means is .provided for limiting the folding of the move ment of the doors 2 and 4 of the section A. To this end the dog 56 mounted on'the door 2 of said section is arranged to-engage a rack bar 94. mounted on the frame .18 at the side of the-upper guideway whenthexdoors 2 and 4 of the section A reach predetermined relative positions during their foldingimovement. The teeth ofthe rack barandthe dog 56am relatively shaped so that, when the dog is engaged with said teeth, movement of the door 2 toward the right, Fig. 3, will be prevented but that the said door may be moved toward the left.

The dogs 56 and 89 are held by means of the pins 64 and 93 retracted or out of position to engage respectively raek'bars 9i and 90 when the section A of the partition is eX- tended. \Vhen the section A is folded at the left hand end of the guiding tracks, Figs. 2 and 3, thedog 56 is engaged with the rack bar58 as abovestated, but during this move ment the dog 89 is held in retracted position so that it cannot engage said rack bar. hen-the section A is being folded from its extended positionto the position shown in Fig. 8, the dog 89 is engaged with the rack bar 90 when "the section has been folded sniiiciently to carry the projection 41 through the slot M. During the folding movement of this section, however, the dog 56 is held retracted until the doors'2 and 1 reacha predetermined angular position with relation to r i v extends in substantially-a straight 11116130 the each other.

In order to control the dog 56 in the man ner above described, the said dog is provided with a roller 96 mounted on a stud projecting upwardly from the dog which roller is arranged to engage the rib 19 on the U-"ha-ped ieniber 16. The engagement of this roller with the rib will hold the dog 56 in retracted position except when the door 2 occupies certain predetermined positions longitudinally of the guideways. When the section A is moved to its limiting left hand position, the roller 96 is located in position to engage within a recess (not shown) formed in the rib 19, which allows the dog 56 to be engaged with the teeth of the rack bar 58 during the folding of the section. When the section A is folded substantially into the position shown in Figs. 3 and 9, the roller 96 engages in a recess 98 formed in the rib 19. The engage ment of the roller 96 in this recess permits the dog to engage the teeth of the rack bar 94. The dog 89 is controlled by a construction similar to that for controlling the dog 56. The dog 89 carries a roller 99 mounted on a stud extending upwardly from the dog and arranged to engage the rib 19 to hold the dog in retracted position. When the door 4 of section A is located in its limiting right hand position, the roller 99 on the dog 89 is in position to'engage in a recess 100 formed in the rib19. As thesection is folded, during the'swinging of the door 4, the roller 99engages in therecess 100 and the dog89 engages the rack bar 90. Thus, the dogs '56 and '89 canbe thrown into actingposition only when the doors 2 and 4.- are located in predetermined positions longitudinally of'the guideways and also'a're placed in predetermined spaced positions with relation to each other.

In the closing of the partition when the sections B and O of the partition have been moved to extended positions and the section A has been folded into the position shown in Fig.6, the pocket door 38 is closed, after which the sectionA is unfolded. During the unfolding movement of the section, the left hand margin ofthe door 2 of the section engages the 'pocketdoor 38 before said section is-extended, as shown inFi 2, the spring jamb 82 then 'beingheld in lts limiting left hand position by the action ofthe springs 85. During the final movement of the section A into extended position the sections B and C are movedto the right against the action 0f the spring jamb 82 so that the partition is tightly held in extended position when the section A is completely unfolded. A bolt 101 is preferably provided for bolting the section A in extended position.

Fig. 12 shows the slot 4221s formed in a block 102 attached to the frame of the partition doorway alongside the upper guideway. From Figs. 3 Sand 12 it will be'noted that the right hand wallofthe slot 42 indicated at 104 outer face of the block forming substantially a right angle with said outer face, as indicated at 106. This is desirable in order to insure that the door 2 of the section A will be locked securely in position longitudinally of the guideways when the section is folded sufficiently to position the projection 4:1-outside of the slot 42. 'The left hand wall of'the slot 42, indicated at 108, is rounded as indicated at 110 to provideclearance for the projection 41 during the-swinging movement of the door 2 of-section A. As shown clearly in Fig. 3 the walls of the slot 44 have a'si-milar formation.

It will be noted that the jamb plate 82 is vertically supported by the :roller 84 which enables the jamb to move with very little friction. The leaf springs 85 attached to the ja-mb are not connected with the upright 87 but merely bear against the contact plates 86. The springs, therefore, have no jamb supporting function but merely actuate yieldingly the ja-mb. The jamb plate is not attached at any point to the door frame but merely floats within the guideway formed by the guide members 83, the plate having a very free movement. The form of springs employed in this construction enables the j'amb to have a relatively widerange of movement.

Fig. 15 shows the jamb plate in the position which it assumes when the partition is fully closed. Fig. 14: shows very clearly the range of movement of the amb under the action of the springs.

While the invention is shown in the drawings as embodied in a folding partition having three sections each comprising two pivotally connected doors, the invention is not limited to such a construction, but the number of sections and the number of doors in each section may be varied to suit the requirements for any installation.

It is also to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangementof parts of the illustrated embodiment of the invention but that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the claims.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention and having specifically clescribed a construction embodying the invention in its preferred form, what is claimed is:

1. A folding partition comprising a track, a pocket, a folding partition section movable into folded position within said pocket and into aligned position out of said pocket, said section being provided with means for latching the section in a partially folded position outside of said pocket, and a door for said'pocket movable between closed and open positions when said partition section is folded outside of said pocket.

2. A folding partition comprising a guideway, a pocket, a section movable into folded position within said pocket and into aligned position outside of said pocket and also into a partly folded position outside of said pocket, a pocket door movable between closed and open positions when said section is in a partly folded position, and means carried by the section for preventing the folding of said section outside of the pocket except when the section is located at a latching location along the guideway.

3. A folding partition construction having a pocket and a pocket door, a guideway, a section mounted for sliding and swinging movement along the guideway, a latching de vice for latching the section from movement longitudinally of the guideway during its swinging movement, and devices respectively carried by the section and having a fixed relation to the guideway for controlling the latching device to maintain the latching device out of operation except when the section occupies a predetermined latching position outside of the pocket.

4. A folding partition construction comprising a pocket, a guideway, a folding partition section arranged to fold partially and latch outside of the pocket, a pocket door adjacent one end of said guideway serving as an abutment for one end of the partition during the final movement thereof from a partially folded into an extended position and a spring jamb having a roller support for engaging the partition at the opposite end of the doorway.

5. A folding partition construction comprising a guideway, a spring amb, a pocket, a folding partition movable into folded position within said pocket and into aligned position against the spring jamb when entirely out of said pocket, a door for closing said pocket, said partition comprising a section movable to a partially folded position outside of said pocket so that the pocket door may be opened or closed and to an aligned position with its edge engaging the outer face of said pocket door after the pocket door is closed, ad means for holding said section latched in a partially folded position outside of said pocket.

6. A folding partition construction comprising a guideway, a roller supported spring jamb, a pocket, a folding partition movable into folded position within said pocket and into aligned position against said spring jamb when out of said pocket, a door for closing said pocket, said partition comprising a section movable to a partly folded latched position outside of said pocket and to an aligned position with its edge engaging the'outer face of said pocket door after the pocket door is closed, and means for limiting the folding movement of the section when folded outside of said pocket, said pocket door being movable between closed and open positions when said partition section is latched in partly folded position.

7. A folding partition comprising a track, a pocket having a door, a spring jamb, a folding partition section movable into folded position within said pocket and into aligned position against said spring jamb while out side of said pocket and into a partially folded position outside of said pocket, and means above the upper edge of the section for hold- 

